Penza, 13 January 2012. PenzaNews. The 7th Annual Creative Festival called “Singing Journalists” took place at Penza Regional Philharmonic Hall on the eve of the Russian Press Day on January 12. More than 15 staff members of newspapers and television channels of the Penza region performed on stage.

As Governor Vasily Bochkarev noted in his welcome address, Penza journalists are mostly talented and creative persons including many young people and women who do their work in good faith.

The Governor stressed, “When it comes to human rights protection newspapers and television today do more than courts and the prosecutor’s office.”

Vasily Bochkarev presented letters of appreciation to veterans of Penza journalism, among them Abram Pekny, Vladimir Yelshansky and Fedor Samarin.

“The Olympic Games will take place in London this year and in Sochi in 2014. An idea came to us to organize a song competition and have our team perform there. Therefore, what is happening today is not a festival but qualifying rounds, not a jury but a panel of judges. And awards will be presented in the form of medals,” explained Chairman of the Penza Division of the Union of Journalists of Russia Pavel Prokhorenkov.

The jury evaluating the contestants’ performances included Director of the Regional Division of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia Svetlana Starostina, Olympic diving champion Igor Lukashin, soloist of Penza Regional Philharmonic Hall Anatoly Postnov, actor of Penza Drama Theatre Albert Ibrayev and Grandfather Frost Blizzard.

Following the selection process the “gold medal” was awarded to Director of Nonprofit Partnership “Commonwealth of Penza local communities” Yevgeny Shilov, “silver” went to journalist Irina Zharova, and the third place was given to correspondent of State Television and Radio Company “Penza” Pavel Morozov.